I'll stay right here
by Lady Carlton
Summary: After getting deeply involved with a case without her partner, Olivia feels like she needs something... or maybe someone to just be with her. One-shot set after episode "911" from Season 7.


**"I'll stay right here"**

_So, I watched this episode last Friday and, except for the lack of Chris Meloni, I love it so very much that I decided to write something. This might be OOC but I take full responsibility on how it turned out... I wrote this at 1 in the morning, give or take so yeah. It's on me. Nonetheless, this is my first attempt to write anything about Law & Order: SVU so I'm gonna ask you to please, be kind. Oh, and feedback is highly appreciated!_

**Disclaimer:** Sadly enough, I do not own Law & Order: SVU. The things I'd do to this show if I owned it...

* * *

><p>"Bye guys. See you tomorrow."<p>

"Bye, Liv."

"Great job today."

Olivia smiled politely at Fin and Munch who were at the bull pen. Ever since she was called back to the precinct by Captain Don Cragen to answer that phone call, Olivia felt like she'd been tossed on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Maria Recinos. A nine-year-old girl that called 911 claiming that she was stuck in a room with no windows, starving and in need of help. Even though she'd been working at SVU for quite a long while, that was one tough case to handle, especially when everyone else believed it was nothing but a prank.

Except it wasn't. Olivia's gut feeling told her that from the beginning and she followed it. It was hard when the man's voice came through the speakers and she felt like she could punch Richard Dwyer on the face when he stood there and told her to speak with his lawyer.

If only Stabler was there...

And when she had to dig on that empty lot right across the street, Olivia felt like she was on auto-pilot. And when she saw the little foot...

She pulled her car in front of a bar that was somewhere in the middle of the way between her place and the precinct. She needed a drink.

"Double scotch please. No ice."

The man behind the counter just muttered a "yes ma'am" and poured some of the amber liquid on a glass and handed it to the brunette that had just occupied one of the bar stools.

Maybe it was true that a bartender did have some traits of psychiatry because he noticed something in her eyes that resembled sadness, but there was also something about her that resembled rage.

"Hard day?" he asked casually as he pretended to clean the counter with a piece of white fabric.

"You have no idea," she replied mechanically. There were no emotions in her tone.

Olivia finally looked at the man who had served her. She knew him.

"How about yours, Joe?"

Joe, the bartender, smiled mildly.

"It was alright... Where's your partner?"

Olivia glanced at the amber liquid in her glass that she swirled before bringing it to her lips and swallowing more than half of its content.

"No idea," she admitted. Olivia heard Captain Cragen saying something about Elliot working on a case in Queens, or Manhattan, or somewhere else... He could be in Chicago right now for all she knew, and that meant she knew nothing.

Joe frowned. He knew Olivia was a cop; he'd seen her, her partner and few other co-workers hang out at his bar more than just a couple of times before. Also, being a retired cop himself, he had some knowledge about what was going on.

"Did the two of you split?"

"What? No. No... We just... He was working on something else."

"I see... How bad was it?"

"If I told you it was awful, that would be an understatement," Olivia said still playing with her drink. "I thought I'd lost her..."

"Well, did you?"

"No... But it was close. Way too close..."

Joe finally gave up on the "cleaning the counter" thing. He tossed the piece of fabric somewhere behind the counter so that Olivia couldn't see but she didn't mind; it wasn't like she was paying attention to that anyways...

Olivia had one thing in mind. Ever since she was dragged into that case, she could only think of one thing — Elliot Stabler. He had been working on a different case and she hadn't heard nor seen him the whole time and, right now, she could use some company.

She considered calling her date but soon dismissed that thought. With her current mood, she'd probably be a lousy company for someone who wasn't from her line of work. But Elliot, on the other hand...

Olivia checked her watch. 11:45pm. That wasn't exactly the best time to make a phone call... She sighed. She should probably get back to her place and just try to have some sleep. Maria was fine, the perp was going to jail, everything ended up just fine... Except it didn't.

Olivia couldn't help but think: _what if I got there a minute later? I wouldn't have seen the man. I wouldn't have seen the blue case. I wouldn't have seen the silver glass... I would have missed Richard and Maria wouldn't be alive._ **What if...**

Olivia brought the glass to her lips and, this time, when she put the glass back on the counter it was empty.

"Thanks Joe," she said pulling her wallet and placing a few notes next to her empty glass. "Good night."

"Take care, Olivia," he said softly.

Olivia smiled at him but soon looked away and she missed it when Joe reached for the phone the moment she made her way out of the bar.

* * *

><p>She got to her place about half hour later. She should have gone straight home — especially after having a drink, even though she wasn't drunk — but she couldn't. She still needed to unwind so she went for a ride.<p>

Olivia drove aimlessly for about twenty minutes before heading back to her original destination.

She made her way to her door with slow steps, unlocked the door and was more than ready to get into the shower and then head to bed when a grave voice startled her.

"Finally!"

Olivia frowned. What the hell was he doing there...

"Elliot?"

"Where have you been? I was ready to call the precinct and have all units to look for you. I've been waiting for you for over ten minutes!"

Olivia dropped her bag, took off her jacket and made her way to the middle of her room, where her partner, Elliot Stabler, was currently throwing a fit.

"Why were you waiting for me? Better yet, why are you inquiring and treating me like I'm a fifteen year old who's getting home after the time her parents told her to be home?"

Elliot seemed to cool down a bit. Just a bit.

"I got a call from Fin saying Joe called the precinct and was worried about you."

"Joe?"

"From the bar," he explained and Olivia raised her eyebrows. "He told Fin you stopped by and seemed upset, had a drink then left. Fin called me and I came here to check on you but imagine my surprise when I didn't find you here!"

"Wait... Let me see if I get this straight," Olivia said more than slightly annoyed now that she was informed about the reasons why Elliot was at her place. "You guys are keeping tabs on me?"

Elliot opened his mouth to answer but was soon cut off by Olivia.

"What the hell? What happened to privacy?"

"Liv..."

"No! Do not _Liv_ me, Elliot!"

Elliot knew his partner better than anyone, and he also knew the woman beneath his partner very well. Olivia could be tough, wear this thick skin at work everything, but she was still a human, and a very decent and soft one. He also was told about her case.

"Olivia..."

"What?"

Olivia regretted snapping at Elliot. He didn't do anything wrong to deserve that treatment. She sighed tiredly. Guess she really should just call it a day and head to bed before she just ruined everything right now.

"El... Just go. Please. I'm... Please."

She looked at him with apologetic eyes and practically begged him to leave, but he didn't do it. He took a couple of steps but, instead of heading to the door, he walked toward Olivia and closed his arms around her body, holding her protectively.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there with you today," he said after a moment in silence.

Olivia sneaked her arms around Elliot's waistline and just stood there. She felt safe now, and she wasn't feeling safe before... Almost losing that little girl sort of overwhelmed her, especially when she knew her story. What kind of mother sells her child? What kind of monster does something like that to a nine year old girl? That was unacceptable...

"I thought I'd lose her, El... And I was never this much involved. She was... I couldn't..."

Elliot could literally feel Olivia's turmoil. It was almost ripping through her body and it was more than evident in her voice. Her voice, always so sure, assertive, strong, it was now weak, low, almost a whisper. Elliot thought of how many things and how many times they had to face gruesome cases — the answer was easy: a lot. But now he also thought, how many times the woman he was holding in his arms had to go home alone and deal with it alone — the answer was just the same: a lot. Elliot wondered how many times she went back home and felt remaining ghosts of their cases settling in, occupying the space, sneaking close to her... He felt compassionate about Olivia. And damn proud. She was strong, maybe stronger than himself. He tightened the embrace.

"Shhh... You didn't lose her," he said, kissing the top of her head softly. "You saved her. You're her hero... You're a real super-hero, Liv."

"I don't feel super right now, El," she muttered while loosening the hug and softly pulling away.

"But you are. You listen to me, you are."

Olivia tried to smile and it felt awkward.

"So are you... Thanks."

"For what?"

"Coming here... Checking on me... That was very thoughtful."

Elliot smiled.

"You're welcome," he said softly. Then, he took her by the arm gently and walked with her to her bedroom. She froze.

"El?"

"C'mon," he said pulling her gently. "I'll tuck you in... and don't even try to talk me out of it."

Olivia went mute for a while and allowed herself to be pulled into her bedroom by her partner.

"You really don't need to."

"Oh, but I do. That's what friends are for, right? One don't leave when the other needs someone to just be there for them."

Olivia felt her heart skipping a beat.

"C'mon," Elliot said once he had her bed ready. "Hop in here," he said tapping on her mattress. She slightly frowned.

"What am I? Five?"

"Just stop being a hardass and indulge. Just once."

Olivia chuckled. "Just once."

"That's my girl."

Still wearing her jeans and the white and pink blouse, Olivia crawled into her bed, allowing Elliot to wrap the blanket around her.

She then felt him sitting beside her, his fingers gently running through her hair.

"I wasn't with you when you needed me, but I'll stay here, by your side, until you fall asleep," he said when she turned to look at him.

"El..."

"I'll stay right here."

Olivia smiled and mumbled a "thank you" before closing her eyes...

Eventually, she fell asleep and it was peaceful. Because Elliot was there, and Olivia felt like she had gone from Hell straight to Heaven.


End file.
